1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nozzle cleaning unit of an inkjet image forming apparatus and method of using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to an inkjet image forming apparatus capable of cleaning a nozzle unit that ejects ink and method of using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, inkjet image forming apparatuses form an image by ejecting ink from a shuttling inkjet head that is spaced a predetermined distance from a top surface of a sheet of paper and reciprocates in a transverse direction of the sheet of paper orthogonal to a sheet feed direction. The inkjet head includes a nozzle unit on which a plurality of nozzles through which ink is ejected are formed. When ink is ejected to the sheet, foreign substances, such as unejected ink droplets, precipitated solid substances after any remaining ink droplets have dried, or airborne fine dust, are attached to the nozzle unit, thereby changing the direction of ink ejection and deteriorating print quality. To maintain a good print quality, there is a demand for an apparatus for eliminating foreign substances collected on the nozzle unit.
In recent years, attempts have been made to realize a high speed printer by employing a line printing inkjet head that includes a nozzle unit with a length substantially corresponding to a paper width instead of an inkjet head that reciprocates in a transverse direction of a sheet of paper. In such inkjet image forming apparatuses, the inkjet head is fixed and only the paper is moved. Accordingly, a driving unit of the inkjet image forming apparatuses is simple and high speed printing can be realized. The nozzle units of such inkjet image forming apparatuses typically have a length of approximately 210 mm to correspond to A4 sized paper when a print margin in the transverse direction of the paper is not considered. Accordingly, there is a demand for an apparatus for effectively eliminating foreign substances attached to the long nozzle unit.